I'm fairly pc literate with desktops...and have installed-used most all versions of windows and 3 different linux over the last few years. So I'm wondering if the OS that comes installed on the lifedrive (Palm OS vGarnet v5.4) can be deleted and windows mobile 5 installed? Or install mobile 5 into a seperate patition with boot manager to choose either OS at boot? (as is possible with any desktop pc nowdays). Pocket pc and pda's are all new to me- shopping for one this past week has me curious about the OS and the possibilty to change.

Ok- but why not? I understand pocket pc's use flash memory to hold the OS (be it windows or palm-garnet), right? All brands of pocket pc are similar in this respect. I realize that there is likely no bios (or bios chip) in the system- or am I wrong on this? There's certainly room for either (or both) OS'es on a lifedrive...and I'm guessing the OS is changeable. That is, I would think it can be "reflashed" much like a bios chip. I've reflashed a bios chip myself (with a upgraded bios version), so I understand the process. And, if you upgrade a pocket pc OS to a newer version- then it's sorta obvious to me the whole OS should be rewriteable. (or reflashable, so to speak, with proper program) Granted, it would be different than any desktop OS installation (not being on a hard drive). I've built several desktops from scratch- and understand all the parts involved, along with installing a OS...and multiple OS'es seperated in partitions. Now- flash memory is partitionable, right? And I know (as I do it) that it's easy enough to install multiple OS'es on a single drive once partitioned. Will the windows mobile 5 OS or palm OS accept a boot manager (first or third party)- provided one exists? So do you really understand my question in depth? If so how about a detailed explanation why- rather than rudely saying "of course not", like I some sort of idiot beginner. That's a bit rude in my opinion- is this board for discussion, or ???? Or mabe I'm more pc literate than you, and you are just wasteing my time? (a guy named) Floral

LifeDrives are not even PocketPCs (as you called them), nor does Palm OS support multiple partitions. I'm not sure if the LifeDrive's OS is really "completely rewritable," but Windows Mobile is designed for different hardware than the Palm OS (there is more to a computing device than the CPU), and there has never been any single device that could run both operating systems. Furthmore, Windows Mobile 5 is individually tailored to each device it runs on, and you can't just buy a generic copy of it somewhere. Therefore, besides the fact that your plan is probably impossible, it is also illegal, since you are apparently planning to copy Windows Mobile somehow.

I actually have a degree in computer science. Your post is the rude one, and piracy is not allowed here anyway. So far I have only ever banned people for spamming, and I have never banned anyone for their point of view or their tone of voice. If you make any further posts like the above, I will have to make my first exception to this pattern.

Well Jason, that's a better response! And prehaps I was too quick to judge! I'm not trying to be rude...but I really think it's a LOT better when someone asks a detailed question to give a bit of explanation- than just a flat "no". Especially when I pointed out at the beginning that pocket pc is all new to me. As for this explanation- Ok, I understand hardware differences and the probability of not being compatabile. Everything being micro and integrated onto such a small circuit board means lots of new technology I haven't seen yet. When I do buy one, I'll be having a close look at the internals for sure. But what about on a windows pocket OS system (any version?). Prehaps you would know if it allows any type partitioning- be it on the internal memory or external memory cards? My main reason for asking all this is because I'm a bit leary of the palm OS compared to a windows based system. I've seen a lot more info (so far, but not enough) on the windows pocket OS versions than the palm...but like the palm lifedrive's better screen and hard drive features. (compared to a HP) Also- what makes you think I would try to pirate (or clone)a version of mobile 5 OS? Granted I have not seen it for sale at microsoft or anywhere else- but I really did not know if it (or other) pocket pc OS'es are sold as stand alone products. You're saying (I think) that each OS is "serialed" to each pocket pc on installation at the factory, right? If you want to delete my posts and/or ban me for my rudeness, fine- I'm no whiner. Just trying to learn something- and thought that's what you are here for.

"Knowledge is of no use, unless shared by others". One of my favorite quotes.

And after thinking about your comments a while...I'm thinking you consider the lifedrive more of just a media player than true pocket pc?

I've seen the user manuals (pdf files) for the lifedrive and a couple HP models, and see some likes-dislikes on both. Got another question as to if the lifedrive can view really large pdf files (say 65mb plus), converted or not? I'm thinking the lifedrive still might suit my needs, if the larger files are readable. Mabe you can tell me? I've seen both good and bad comments on pdf file reading with lifedrive.

A PocketPC is a PDA that was designed to run Windows Mobile. Since the LifeDrive is a PDA that was designed to run Palm OS, it is not a PocketPC. It's not really an opinion question. (Some of your terminology makes you sound a little like what I call a "MicroSheep" - someone who follows M$ so blindly that they have become convinced that Microsoft's implementations and conventions are the only possible way to make a working device.)

In my experience, PDFs don't really ever work well on PDAs, and even on desktops they leave plenty of room for improvement. If you use Adobe's own Palm solution, you will have to convert all the documents on your computer before you can use them on a Palm, and if you use PalmPDF or DocumentsToGo 8, the PDF will not be reflowed, meaning that you will have to scroll back and forth constantly on most documents. I doubt that a LifeDrive would do well with a PDF that large, considering the limited amount of heap memory that recent Palms have.

Options for converting PDFs to other formats are limited, but you may be able to extract the text portions by simply copy-and-pasting (if the PDF is configured to allow it) or by using Google (hit "view as HTML" for PDFs already on the web, and for ones that aren't, you can send them to a Gmail account, although the attachment size has an upper limit).

It comes down to device drivers for specific hardware in the device. Each PPC is customized by the manufacturer with device drivers for the specific hardware they choose to use in the device (while general specs are all the same, there are differences in interfaces, flash storage, HD, chipsets and wireless radios). No one has written the OS customizations (device drivers and etc) necessary to run Windows Mobile on the LifeDrive.

And since one wouldn't have a license to install WM on a Palm, it's technically software piracy. Unlike Windows XP, you can't go out and buy a copy of Windows Mobile and the associated license key. That's one of the reasons why we've seen occasional Linux ports for PDAs in the past (generally for an older model of iPAQ) but not other platform ports.

A shame the rumors of a Dell Axim with hard drive turned out to be just rumors. Perhaps someone will make one someday.